


Coming Home

by bad_pigeon



Category: Original Work
Genre: Amusement Parks, Angst, I don't know, Original Character(s), Other, Sad, Short One Shot, War, i wrote this for class, might as well post this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:42:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23308558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bad_pigeon/pseuds/bad_pigeon
Summary: Mother spends day with son. Earlier they received a call about the husband/father who's been at war. The mother seems distressed, but the son does not notice... What could this call be about and why does it make mom so upset?
Kudos: 1





	Coming Home

The blazing, summer sun casted its light across the rest of the park and warmed the skin of the little boy who clutched tightly onto his yellow balloon. There was no wind that sung through his ears; only the sound of muddled laughter and loud music had made its way towards him. The surrounding booths at the fair were lit up, flashing colorful signs which demanded attention from those parading around. The crowd submissively gave in to their request, and long lines then protruded from each stand respectively.

The boy’s small left hand grabbed a hold of his mother’s and teetered her to a booth filled with the aroma of sweet cotton. His face lit up eagerly at the sight of the line, which was almost completely empty unlike the other stands. He thought of the sugary taste of the candied treat dissolving in his mouth and pulled his mother forward.

The boy never thought he’d get to visit the county fair today. He was told his father was going to return from overseas, and so they were to stay home and let him rest up. However, that plan changed once his mother received a call this morning.

“Jeremy,” his mother now said, her tired expression from this morning still lingering on her face. She tried to smile, but the sadness in her eyes made it look twisted. She tried to keep her composure for her son, “If this is want you want, I’ll buy you some, but there’s probably something else you want to see besides the cotton candy stand.”

“No!” Her son of five cried out. “I want it! It’s daddy’s favorite!”

“I see,” his mother said, her voice barely audible from the sounds of the rest of the fair. She once again smiled faintly, but it refused to reach her eyes.

The boy held her hand for the rest of the wait, oblivious to the stares of a few people he knew from his town. Over at a booth near them, two women who he knew were from his neighborhood talked in low voices to each other and glanced at him briefly.

His mother seemed to notice and tried to ignore them. However, once they saw her look over, they began to approach, their faces unreadable.

“Hm... Your total rings up today as one dollar and thirty-two cents. Do you have change?”

“Wha—Oh, yes. Sorry.” Jeremy’s mother absentmindedly rummaged her wallet for her change. “Here,” she handed it to the expecting hand of the cashier.

After they moved along, the boy eagerly opened up the bag of his treat and vigorously ate a chunk of cotton candy. He still didn't notice the two women until they finally approached his mother.

“Pam... I’ve heard what happened. If you need anything—"

“Thank you, but I’m afraid my son wants to ride the carousel. Excuse us.” Pam tartly cut off the rest of the woman’s sentence and pushed her son along the mass of the crowd.

“Mama?” Jeremy’s eyes poked from behind his bag of candy.

“Not now, Jeremy.” Her face looked strangely determined to get away from the two overly dressed women as she possibly could. She continued to push him along the bustle of fair goers, and rested her slender hand on his back as if supporting herself somehow.

Jeremy still didn't know what was going on, but he pointed to a clearing of trees near the portable bathrooms. “Mama, if your tired, the trees seem nice.” Jeremy wanted to get his mother to look happy again as she did the night before, when she waited for the call from her husband who was coming back. Only that call never came. It was replaced by one that made her act funny, by Jeremy’s view.

Grateful, Pam ushered him to the clearing; the noises subsiding with each step. The near silence started to invite them in, and the windless day seemed to weigh Pam down, rather than the opposite. She wished she had something to focus her mind on, anything, even if it was just the thought of the breeze hitting her head, making her feel present.

Jeremy bounded around in the tall grass; the balloon attached to his right hand bounced with each jump and the cotton candy bag, now only half full, in his left. He looked content with the end of the day, but still held concern for his mother who slowly lowered herself in the ground and began to break into tears.

Jeremy suddenly stopped and looked around, thinking his mother was upset by the fair. He then assumed that she began to act strangely before getting him his treat, and felt the urge to make her happy again because it was probably his fault somehow.

He walked towards her, and held out his bag of candy, “I don’t mind sharing. I don’t think daddy’ll too.” He grinned widely, his arm thrust out, the bag dangling slightly.

A sob came out of his mother at the mention of Jeremy's father. It was the only sound that could be heard in the whole area. Jeremy patted her back while she cried, and before he knew it, tears were rolling down his face as well, although he didn't understand why. Pam just looked up with her tear streaked face and held onto him. They continued to stay that way until the sun disappeared into the clouds, and the fair’s blinding lights died out.


End file.
